2004 chevy impala ss reciprocal body to swap engine and tranny ?
Asked by GuruDDBR6M Oct 01, 2023 at 10:51 PM about the 2004 Chevrolet Impala SS FWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
Car runs like a top, interior is brand new looking, body poor. 90 year old drove
it thru back of garage. Was going to do the bodywork but then the unibody
was rotted bad. What years can I easily use as a donor body and put the
motor and tranny into ?
3 Answers
beatupchevy answered 7 months ago
You're looking for the same 20 year old car in good shape that the owner will sell to you cheap enough to make it worth your time to put that motor into . Not going to happen
A better option might be to find another one with a blown transmission or engine and use the wrecked one for the parts. It's a GM so it won't be hard to find one. GM has been plagued with engine and transmission failures for years, decades in fact, at relatively low mileage. Hope that helps! Jim
The future isn't that bleak. Your Impala generation is from 2000 to 2005, and you need a donor car that has the exact same engine, transmission, and computer, so you are stuck with a 2004. Find one with a serviceable monocoque, no rust, and transfer your drivetrain and interior to it. It's kind of a monumental project, and will cost way more than it's worth, but it might be doable if you find a donor car that's not running. It might be better to just part-out your car and settle for a much better car. That Impala was not a car meant for restoration... Some dreams were never meant to happen.
